36 | Weekend ART REVIEW | A chat with Elkana Ongesa, who specialises in Kisii soaspstone carving My long life as a sculptor and why the State won’t pay my millions Elkana Ongesa’s sculptures decorate some of the most famous buildings in the world BY WILSON MANYUIRA satnation@ke.nationmedia.com I n 1965, slightly over one year after Kenya gained its independence, the Kenya Freedom from Hunger Campaign organised an art competition to commemorate its achievements since independence. Among the artists exhibiting their talents were Elkana Ongesa, a 23-year-old young man from Tabaka Village in Kisii, and Christie Kenyatta, daughter of the first president of Kenya. Even though he had been reluctant to exhibit, Ongesa’s teacher of English, Ms Janet Green, kept pestering him to do so, insisting that he had potential to be one of the greatest sculptors ever. As fate would have it, Onge- sa’s fine soapstone carving of a hungry person — depicting a human form eating maize on the cob — scooped the first prize in the sculptors’ category. But if this didn’t elate him, news of the winner in the painting category did. It was President Jomo Kenyatta’s daughter, and Ongesa was elated. Their short walk together to the podium to receive their prizes forever remains etched in his mind. As the prize for winning, he received a pocket-size Toshiba transistor radio. “You can imagine the feeling of being mentioned in the same line with the president’s daughter,” says Elkana. With his victory, Ms Janet Green proceeded to assist him to form an art club at his school, where he was appointed chairman. This would also see him drop his ambition of becoming a doctor. After high school, a letter arrived from the ministry of Local Government in Nairobi inviting him to study accounting, but he declined. “To say my parents were angry would be an understatement,” says 73-yearold Ongesa. He would end up in Uganda after being invited to study painting and sculpting at Margaret Trowel School of Fine Arts at Makerere University. Apart from the first-class hon- ours he attained from Makerere, he would go on to garwards. award, tor of Year, a m e rough s alli m e n I demanded answers and e the remaining 40 percent go, I was told the carving was to be transported” gesa ‘‘ favourite carving of a man landing on the moon — now standing at an FBI building in the United States — while still a first-year student, and Painter of the Year in his final year. “After university, my journey was a little easier compared (with) today’s artists, because I had family support and had already made inroads in the industry,” he says. Still, his first commissioned work would not come until 1976, five years after he left university. “Nairobi hosted that year’s Unesco conference, and as a fairly known sculptor then, I was part of the tour guides for Unesco’s director-general Amadou Mbow’s visit to (the) Kenya National Archives. Sh1b Taurus Eventz, in conjunction with Chivas Regal, will host a comedy night today at the Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi. It will feature comedians Eric Omondi (pictured), Daliso Chaponda, Dr Ofweneke and Afro-soul star Carol Atemi Oyungu. The value of the carving that was to be transported to Washington, DC “It wasn’t quite on my mind that my Rige (baby bird in Gusii) carving was at the archives, but when Mr Mbow passed by it, he stopped and said he liked it. He asked who did it and I was called. He then asked to buy it and take it back with him to Paris. But as this was a small carving and now part of the archives, I asked him if I could do a bigger one for him and he agreed, promising that contract papers would be sent. True to the director-general’s word, the papers were sent, but the Kenyan government instead offered to give the carving as a gift to Unesco and then “reward” the sculptor. “It took me a few months to do the carving and I named it the Enyamuchera (singing bird).” The Enyamuchera, which has a white chest and black back, sings and other birds join in singing, bringing peace. “I wanted to take a peace message to Paris with this bird.” He says his dancing birds sculpture at the US embassy in Nairobi dances to the tune of the singing bird in Paris. The launching of the sculpture in Paris was one of his most memorable days. “Every time I am in Paris, I get to see my Enyamuchera atop the Unesco headquarters in Paris. I feel very proud,” he says. However, he was never paid for his Unesco scupture. “Unesco were to give me Sh5 million for the work, but as the money had to go through the FILE | NATION Elkana Ongesa in China with one of his sculptures, christened “Her Mother”. Ongesa is one of the best sculptors in the country. He specialises in Kisii soapstone. government, I never got even a cent of it,” he says, revealing he is still following up the matter to date. His other sad moment was last year, on the eve of the Smithsonian Festival in Washington, DC, USA, where he was to exhibit his 10-tonne elephant stone carving. “Someone had offered Sh1 billion for the carving and the government was to facilitate its transportation to the event,” he says. “All was well until I started asking questions about revenue share. Then all hell broke loose.” For the first time, he reveals what happened. According to him, he was informed that he would get 10 percent of the Sh1 billion, his Kisii County would get 20 percent and the government would get 30 percent. “When I demanded answers and where the remaining 40 percent would go, I was told the carving was too big to be transported. That was my biggest moment,” he says as his wife chides him to offer something positive. One of the people who under- stand Elkana’s work better is Ms Lydia Galavu, the art curator at the National Museums of Kenya. “My foundation in sculpting was from the years Elkana taught me at Kisii College in 1989/1990. His teaching of art and sculpting was very interesting,” says the art curator. She says Elkana would take them to his Tabaka Village for practical lessons. “We learned the social aspects that these craft plays among the Kisii people.” Asked why Elkana’s work is considered world-class, Ms Galavu says it is because his work has become part of our art history. “Ongesa grew up as an artist when our art curriculum was being formed, and thus he is part it.” Ongesa cannot recall the number of works he has been commissioned to create. His sculptures can be found at the Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, the Claxton building, the FBI headquarters, Changchu in China, the UN headquarters in New York, the US embassy in Nairobi and various other places in Kenya and around the world. “I am still very active in sculpt- ing,” he says. His most recent exhibition was at the African Pioneer Artist show on March 28 at the Nairobi Gallery, where he featured with Uganda’s Expedito Mwebe. Their host, Mr Alan Donavan of African Heritage and a co-collector with Murumbi and Sheila (Murumbi Trust), has glowing words for Elkana. “He was the first person to exhibit at African Heritage in 1971,” he says. “I am immensely proud to have been associated with him.” As he continues to carve out masterpieces from Kisii soapstones, Elkana feels the need to give back to community through his numerous art associations. One of them is African Stone Talk (AST), a symposium where they discusses various stones ideal for carving and Africa institute of culture and development studies (Africuds) among others. ‘DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE’ PLAY The Madarak Rotary Club will stage the first Rotary-themed play today to “instal” president Joash Mbogo and his board at the Michael Joseph Centre in Westlands. The play will start at 5pm and end at 9pm. KECO AFRO SOUNDS Rumba songbird Princess Eve Namulanda and her Keco Afro Sounds band will perform tonight and every Thursday at Jimlizer Hotel in Nairobi’s Buruburu estate. Every Friday, she performes at Ladida Lounge in Ongata Rongai. OAKLEY’S WEEKEND SHOWS Oakley’s, on Milimani Road in Nairobi, will host weekend shows featuring sensational Kanda King every Friday. It also has the best of African cuisine all weekend. MUGIITHI SHOW IN NYERI Mugithi fans in Nyeri and its environs can team up for a mugithi night dubbed ‘Mugiithi wa Potus’ tonight at the White Rhino Hotel. The show will feature benga musician John De Mathew and will start at 7pm. OBAMA NIGHT IN RIRUTA WEEK’S PICK SATURDAY NATION TODAY PLATINUM 7D PARTY The first anniversary of Platinum 7D Lounge will be marked today in Nakuru. DJs Protégé, alongside resident DJs Silky and Skillz will perform. There will be lots of giveaways and bitings for the early arrivals. AFRO LATIN DANCE The Italian Institute of Culture in Westlands will this afternoon host an Afro-Latin dance workshop with Marion Munga. It will be an opportunity to experience chereography expressed through rhythmic movements. COMEDY NIGHT IN NAIR0BI July 25, 2015 The Mukaro Gardens on Naivasha Road in Nairobi’s Riruta Satellite will tonight host an Obama night featuring popular Ohangla musician Onyango Alemo (pictured). Queen Challenge performs every Friday at the same spot. LINET PAMBA AT KISUMU Benga songbird Linet Aluoch Pamba will today and tomorrow perform at the Summary Makuti Park Club in Kisumu. She will be backed by her Karapul Jazz band. TOMORROW HIP HOP SUNDAYS The Caramel Restaurant and Lounge in Westlands hosts hip hop Sundays with G-Money and DJ Bash thrilling patrons with the best of hip hop music. The shows start at 5pm. angaira@ke.nationmedia.com